Alternative Sources of Oil

The world's source of fossil fuels, oil, is ubiquitous in cars and produces most of the world's pollution. The world will soon run out of oil, and the race is on to find a source of oil that can be replenished and not emit greenhouse gases. The scientific world is looking at possible sources of oil from a host of different sectors such as agriculture, marine life and waste.

• Corn may become a major source of alternative fuel.

Function

• Despite the relative abundance of oil in the world today, fossil fuels are not a renewable source of oil and energy, reports the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. As the world's source of oil dwindles, the price of oil rises and eventually will become more expensive than alternatives, or simply run out. A Renewable source of energy relieves the dependence on oil-producing countries and reduces greenhouse emissions.

Algae

• The Washington Post reports that algae blooms could become an alternative to pumping oil out of the ground. Algae, found in watery climates, produce vegetable oil through photosynthesis, which can then be refined into a biodiesel. Algae offers several benefits over other sources of alternative fuel, such as corn-based ethanol and soybeans. These crops require a lot of land, while algae have a high ratio of surface to volume, resulting in a need for much less acreage.

Waste

• Biodiesel fuel can be refined from just about any waste oil or fatty substance, such as animal fats and used grease from restaurants, according to the United States Department of Energy. Waste oil, or manufactured vegetable oil, can be combined with an alcohol solution form a compound known as methyl esters. Any diesel engine can use methyl esters, even those designed for fossil fuels. Also, biofuel burns cleanly and prevents businesses from dumping waste oil into water sources.

Agriculture

• Often referred to as "biomass," ethanol can be formed from agricultural starches such as corn, and sometimes from grass trimmings and wood chips. Early automakers such as Henry Ford thought ethanol, not gasoline, would become the standard fuel, but distribution problems resulted in the adoption of gasoline. The Department of Energy says ethanol is a major renewable energy research sector for its Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy division.

Theories/Speculation

• Many in the discipline of modern climatology say greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels such as oil contribute to the phenomenon of global warming, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Greenhouse gases prevent heat from escaping Earth's atmosphere and raise global temperatures. The EPA believes the current production of greenhouse gases warms the earth too fast and could potentially harm the environment and the public's health in the coming decades.